The Child From A Lotus Blossom
by Dawn-Roberts
Summary: (season 7)Lotus Blossoms don't grow in Sunnydale Cemetary? What unfolds when Spike (not that sane yet) picks it?
1. Sunbeam From A Lotus Blossom

Copyright- Hi Joss *waves* I know, I told them that the characters all belong to you and Mutant Enemy. Joss, why are there cops behind you? With their billy clubs out.... You get the picture ;)   
  
I'd like to start by saying sorry to anyone who is waiting for new chappies on my other series'. I'm taking a break for amends and WTDS because this baby of mine (refering to the story your about to read) ,TCFALB, needs all the attention and I've got all of the plot worked out, whereas in WTDS I know the Beginning and End with a big ol' gap in the middle. SO ENJOY!  
  
The Child From A Lotus Blossom : Chapter one : Sunbeam From A Lotus Blossom  
  
Spike walked nervously through the cemetary, autumn leaves crunching beneath his Doc Martins. Once upon a time he owned these graves, this whole yard of them. But that was long ago. Before the voices started. Now the basement of Sunnydale High was where he hung his metaphorical hat. But they knew that. So there they were too. Day and night, night and day, until the two blended together and he dared to venture outside to get away from the echoes that sung to him. So here he was, and the voices had grown hushed, almost going away. Almost.  
  
With his only 'weapon', a rusted shovel with 'Property of S.H.S' on its handle, he marched on. His cocky swagger was gone, but he was still Spike, on the hunt for baddies to squelsh. Ones with real voices, because they were so much easier to hit.  
  
When he reached a trio of vamps huddled around something small enough that he assumed it was no human, he slid into his game face, and snarled at the backs of the three. They whipped around just as he ran at them, arms extended and shovel held out horizontally in both hands. As they we almost on him, he spun around with the blade of the shovel out, taking off the head of vamp #1, who was too slow to duck. He was ashes before his head hit the ground, so Spike focused his attention on the other two fanged felones. Vamp #2 was short and burly, with a long goatee and a bikers jacket a size too small. He ran at Spike again, eagerness gleaming in his amber eyes, while vamp #3 stayed back, obviously aware that they weren't jump up against a run of the mill vampire, out to stake his claim. [a/n: Pardon the pun. hee-hee] Spike stood stock still and when Goatee was only an arm's length away, he jumped up and kicked him in the jaw, hearing it break with a satisfying crunch. While Goatee stumble backwards, holding onto his slack jaw with both hands and letting his guard down, Spike used the split second to thrust the handle of his shovel through his left breastbone and into his heart. The scrawny third vamp had fled, leaving only Spike and the ashes of his former buddies. The battle was quick and quipless, not like Spike at all. But Spike wasn't exactly feeling like himself these days, ever since ....  
  
Looking up to see which direction Scrawny had fled, Spike's eyes fell apon a strange, strange sight. In the center of a grassy area that wasn't covered with graves, grew a single lotus blossom. Even in Spike's less than completely sane state, he knew that lotus blossoms grew in water, not on land. But his curiosity outgrew his suspision, and he walked slowly towards it, and cupped his hands around the flower, plucking it from the ground, inspecting it for anything supernatural-ish. He had only had it in his hands for a few seconds when all of the sudden it grew white-hot. Literally. Spike dropped it and ran backwards, tumbling over a tombstone and landing on the ground with a thud. He peeked over the tombstone to see that a large burst of white light had emerged from that spot, practically blinding him. Startled, he bent back down, hugging his knees and rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.  
  
"Not time for morning yet. Morning doesn't come 'till the stars go to bed." he said loudly to no one. He sat like that until the beam of light faded with a loud pop. He got his nerves together at stood up, looking over once more at where the light had started from, expecting to see some kind of demony thing come to rip Sunnydale to shreds, not a little girl with a lotus blossom in her hands.  
  
A/N- *eyes her loverly reader nervously*SO...*Twiddles thumbs* Whaddya think? Really? Thanks! Only I cant really hear you so your gonna have to hit that little button that says submit review and show me some love!  
  
Ok, so your probably intrigued/confused with this first chapter. But it'll get better soon. NEXT CHAPTER: Spike brings "Lotus Child" [You didnt think you'd get her name outta me so easy, did ja?] to the scoobies, and we find out more concerning the who what where why whens.   
  
Until next time : May your crops be prosperous and your mule stay healthy. (Dont ask, Im just a funny gal)  
  
*Dawn* 


	2. Pretty Dead Word

Copyright- Hi Joss *waves* I know, I told them that the characters all belong to you and Mutant Enemy. Joss, why are there cops behind you? With their billy clubs out....   
  
I'd like to take a chance to add a few things I forgot in my typing fury the day before last. lol setting / time - So far just Sunnydale, but other places in the BuffyVerse may follow. Takes place right after Buffy finds out about Spike's soul, but before he moves into Xander's apartment (because he's not going to in my fic)  
  
I'd like to add that in this fic, the scoobies, save Dawn, know that Spike is back in town and a little loco. AND, also in my version, hte scoobies were smart enough to NOT tell Dawn about the not-so little Buffy/Spike encounter near the end of season 6. ( I just really on't want to write hostility between them, because they are the two characters I write best, in my modest opinion. lol)  
  
Spoilers- up to early season 7.  
  
pairings- wait. There are no couples in early season 7. whoops, then I guess no couples as of yet.  
  
summary of last chapter : Less-than-sane Spike walks through the cemetary, squelshes 3 baddies, then picks a *lotus blossom* that creates a beam of sunshine. After the sun fades away (with Spike safely behind a tombstone) a strange child is left behind.  
  
And now, onto the show, erm... story!  
  
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The Child From A Lotus Blossom : Chapter Two :  
  
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Spike walked over to the small child, and kneeled down so he was at her head level. The little girl picked her head up slowly from looking at the flower in her hands. She then opened her eyes, staring at him with orbs the color violet. Smiling a wide, lop-sided grin, she spoke a single word.  
  
"Vampire."  
  
Spike could tell by her unnaturally purple eyes and her calmness after seeing his shifted face that this wasn't exactly a lost toddler he had on his hands. Slightly amused, he cocked his head slightly to the side at the child.  
  
"Got a name, Poppet?" he asked softly before standing back up.  
  
"Aleda." She giggled, spinning the blossom around in her fingers and then taking a strand of her long auburn hair and wrapping it around the flower.  
  
"Hmm. Pretty dead word." Spike said absently, zoning out for a moment. He snapped back quickly though, when, giggling, the toddler held his arms out to him, motioning for to pick her up. He obliged cautiously, lifting the tiny brunette into his arms.  
  
"Looks like it's Summertime." Spike said, and took off walking towards Revello Drive.  
  
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As Spike walked towards Revello Drive, he had the babbling of a little girl (presumably 2 and 1/2 or 3) to occupy him. She had asked him his name, and he replied "Used to be William, when I was a good man. But now I'm a bad man, Spike's a bad man." And she had just yawned, and snuggled into the strange man's chest.  
  
By the time he reached the door of 1630, Aleda was fast asleep, and Spike was frightened. They were talking again. Laughing at him, telling him how much the girl was scared of him, how much he wanted to hurt the girl.  
  
"No!" He growled, and the young girl stirred in his arms, catching him off guard. His faced softened slightly at the innocent in his arms. They tried to get his attention again, and tell him that he wanted to hurt the lil' poppet, but he blocked them out. He was contemplating what to say and when to knock on the door when it flung open, revealing a very nervous looking Wicca, staring at him first, then the small package in his arms.  
  
"Found this Platelet in the cemtary. Popped right outta a flower, she did." Spike grinned at Willow, reminding her of a puppy who had successfully brought back the ball. That, or an insane vampire. Knowing that the latter was true, she looked down at the sleeping child, and backed up to make way for Spike to get in the house.  
  
"Come... come in Spike." Willow said cautiously. Buffy had informed them after her first incounter with post-souled Spike, that he was very skiddish. So she was speaking calmly and trying not to frighten him while he had an innocent kid in his grasp. But no sooner had she thought that , Spike backed up a few feet and vigorusly began to shake his head.  
  
"Doesn't work like that," he said in a hurried voice. "is'not your place to say that. Won't let me in unless the girl says. Make the girl say it." He bowed his head almost shyly as a confused look swept over Willow's features.  
  
"No, Spike. Buffy didn't, um, revoke your invite and all that. Really, you can come in." She looked around inside , hoping Buffy would hear her and show up to save the day. No luck, She must have still been upstairs with Dawn. Great.  
  
"Get her. They won't let me in unless she says..." Spike kept mumbling, which made Willow worry more. Had he said 'they'? She motioned for him to stay put and turned around to yell up the stairs.  
  
"Hey Buff. Basement dweller here to visit. So shimmy your butt down here!" Willow turned back around and saw that, luckily, Spike was still there. In body anyway, in mind he seemed a little, well, spacey. Buffy quickly appeared behind her, and asked Willow with only a glance to go upstairs and occupy Dawn.  
  
Buffy had to take a second to suvrey what stood infront of her. Spike was on her door step, hair rumpled and face hidden downward. In his arms, he held a sleeping toddler with long brown hair. The sight was both bemusing and slightly disturbing.  
  
"Spike." She said paitently. His head snapped up."What, who, and how?" She crossed her arms across her chest and looked at him worryingly.  
  
"I was, out for a walk, clearing my head. Damned voices. So I come across a lamely fanged trio. I dusted them right and proper. And I see this," he lifted the lotus blossom out of Aleda's tiny finger. "growing right in the middle of the cemetary, which is ludacris seeing as they're water flowers. So 'course I picked it. Then it got rather hot potato like and a big burst of sunlight appeared."  
  
"At night?" Buffy interrupted him disbelievingly.  
  
"Yes, at night. I tend to avoid walking in the daylight, it's hell on the epedermis." He looked at her to make sure he had permission to continue. She nodded him on. "I hid behind a gravemarker, then I got back up after the bloody thing went away, the sunbeam. And there, where it just was, sat this tiny bite, holding the blossom that I dropped."  
  
Buffy looked at him yet again in disbelief. She didn't know whether to believe his story was real or assume it was fabricated, a result of his vivid hallusination. Neither choice really explained the girl. With a tired sigh, she motioned for him to enter the house. Grinning almost shyly, he obliged. The door soon shut behind him with a thud.  
  
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A/N- Sorry, Sorry. You guys didn't find out the 'whats' about the blossom/Aleda, thats next chappie! This chapter was kinda draggy, but it needed to be there. And sorry about Spike being so froot-loopy, keep in mind it's early season 7 and he really hasn't re-habilitated yet. I REALLY hope you guys liked it. Please R&R!  
  
Next Chap- we REALLY find out about Aleda. (*PROMISE!!!*)  
  
Until then, keep on capitolizin'.  
  
PS) Id like to thank my faithful reviewers! And shine a spotlight on gidgetgirl, her kidfic is AMAZING, so everyone go read it! 


	3. What's In A Name?

Copyright- Hi Joss *waves* I know, I told them that the characters all belong to you and Mutant Enemy. Joss, why are there cops behind you? With their billy clubs out.... You get the picture ;)   
  
: The Child From A Lotus Blossom : Chapter Three : What's In A Name?  
  


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Spike sat on the couch, with Aleda resting in his arms, still dead to the world. He was pleased to notice that they were very quiet in this house, quiet enough that if he closed his eyes very tight they would go away. But another thing was threatening to unnerve him. Across the room, the eyes of Buffy and Xander were bearing into him. They watched his soul, naked and torn, and it made him want to scream, or explain his situation, or hurt them.  
  
"No, not hurt them. Won't hurt them. Never hurt the girl, she burns. Or her boy." He mumbled loudly, just getting more stares from the two scoobies in the room.  
  
Xander opened his mouth to protest, when Buffy put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. They had talked about this. No one was going to talk to Spike until Willow came downtairs from Dawn's room. Since Xander had his history with Spike and Buffy could barely get him to look her in the eye, Willow seemed like the only chance they had to get him talking. And, they didn't want Dawn to find out about Spike's return if they could help it. So he settled back into his chair and they waited for Will.  
  
Finally, Willow emerged alone at the base of the steps. Sighing, she pushed stray locks out of her face and leaned against the door frame. She smiled tiredly in Buffy's direction.  
  
"She's asleep again, Buff. I finally calmed her down." Willow stated, then looked a little frightened. "Not with magic. No mojo-makin' involved, it was calming of the non-magical, hugs and kisses variety." Then she made her *I'll stop talking* face and fell silent.  
  
"So they finally stopped, I take it?" Xander asked Willow, rubbing his hand across his head. First this, then Spike showing up. Someone liked inflicting Xan-Man mirgaines. He put his head back to stare at the ceiling, since giving Spike the evil eye hadn't made the bloodsucker leave, he might as well focus on something else.  
  
"They?" Spike asked, looking around worridly. Had they left him to bother Dawn? Or tara maybe?He scrunched his forehead in confusion. Willow sighed again, here came the hard part. They had pinned the job of talking to loco Spike-o on her. Even though they seemed logical, she was worried none the less. He had a child, which was never good, and looked about as clueless as the rest of the room. She sat down cautiously next to Spike and turned to face him.  
  
"Not your 'they'." She said softly, using air quotes to acknowledge the voices he was suffering from. "It's um, Dawn. She's been having these really bad nightmares ever since,"she paused and took a gulp of air."ever since she found Tara's body." Spike looked at her with remorse, an expression full of sympathy she couldn't deal with right now.  
  
Willow looked over at Buffy, who urged her to press on. She sighed again, here comes the fun part.  
  
"Spike. We need to know everything you know about this little girl." She feigned a smile at him but he just shook his head roughly. All he knew was what he had told them, and that was not near enough for them to figure out who/what she was. Or why she was with Spike.  
  
"Well, why don't we wake her up?" Buffy suggested, Spike's gaze not meeting her's. She stood up and moved over to where Aleda lay on Spike's lap. She saw him visably stiffen as she neared him, but she reached down to lightly shake the little girl out of her slumber.  
  
She mumbled incoherently at first, stretching her little arms in front of her. But as she opened her purple eyes, and saw that the blurry figure over her wasn't familiar, she did the first thing that came to her almost three year old mind, she wailed.  
  
Before Buffy could even think to react, the child was flailing in Spike's arms, reddened cheeks puffed out with tears streaming down them, and her hands balled up into angry fists. The Scoobies watched in awe at the fiery tantrum that continued until Spike began to stroke a hand through her hair. His touched soothed her, and soon her breath was regular again and the fire in her cheeks paled to a rosy glow. She turned to face Spike, and smiling, placed a small hand on his face.  
  
"Will-yum." She sighed happily, making him grin. But at the same time, he had to wonder, how in the world this girl knew him, why he didn't scare her the way he scared everyone else.  
  
"Poppet, this is Buffy, " he said, motioning to the person standing in front of them. "She's a nice girl, and she just needs to talk to you. So be a good girl, and don't fuss." Aleda shot a weary glance at Buffy and turned back to Spike with a pout.  
  
"Lee no like Buffy." she whispered, bottom lip jutting forward. She looked at him, with those large eyes and his heart melted.  
  
"Just a few words, Lee," he said, adjusting to her self given nick name. "then she'll leave you be." he turned the little girl around so she was facing Buffy, who beamed down at her. Lee just pulled a few tiny fingers into her mouth and sucked on them, glowering at Buffy the entire time.  
  
"What's your name, sweetie?" Buffy smiled at her. Aleda replied, her voice muffled because of her fingers held securly in her mouth.  
  
Buffy continued with the questions, and no one noticed as Spike mumbled "Pretty dead word." again. Except Willow. The slightly inanse sounding phrase flicked a switch in the witch's head. She stood up and got her laptop from her bag, before sitting back down. Logging onto the World Wide Web, the ex-hacker typed through dozens of search engines looking for a certain something. Since Buffy was interrogating their tiny house guest and all of the action seemed to have lulled Xander to sleep, no one bothered to wonder what she was up to.  
  
"Where's your mommy, Leda?" Buffy asked sweetly. Aleda looked up her, pulling her fingers from her mouth slowly. Her eyes welled up with tears, and Buffy couldn't help but wonder if she had set of another temper tantrum. She cringed, and waited for the wailing to start. Instead, the tears fell down her face silently, as she answered.  
  
"I dunno where mummy is." she answered with a hushed voice, lifting her hand back to her mouth. As she did, Buffy noticed a bracelet around her tiny wrist. It seemed to be made of flowers, with a wooden locket on it. But before she could inspect it further, she was interrupted.  
  
"Ah-Ha!" she heard from across the room, and turned to see Willow smiling at her sheepishly.  
  
"Ah-Ha?" Buffy asked, confused.  
  
"Yes. It was an 'I found something' ah-ha. You see, when you asked Aleda her name, I heard Spike mumbled something. He said 'Pretty dead word', which wouldn't make sense to someone who hasn't studied linguistics." She paused to glance at Buffy, her facial expression confirming that she had no idea what her best friend was talking about. "Well, 'dead word' got me thinking. Latin is considered a dead language, since it is rarely used in conversing in the modern day. So I figured I might as well search for a latin word orgin for the name Aleda. And..." she trailed off and looked at the computer screen.  
  
"What didja find, Will?" Buffy tried to read Willow's face.  
  
"Small and winged. That's exactly what the name means. Which leads be to believe-" she was cut off by Xander's nap time rambling.  
  
"Dwarf pyterodactils" was the only thing they could make out from the jibberish.  
  
"Wow. I never thought about that." Willow laughed, pausing thoughtfully until she felt Buffy's slightly irrated gaze on her. "Oh right. Which leads me to think 'faerie'. It explains the eye color and the flower. Well, sorta."  
  
Both girls looked over at Aleda, who was now laughing happily at a varied array of funny faces that Spike was showing off.  
  
"Great work, really Will. But that doesn't explain why or how she showed up in the cemetary. Or why she chose a psycho ex-killer to cling to." Buffy's head was throbbing, so she sat down in the nearest chair and watched as Willow got back to typing, mumbling to herself about chants and Heather, Whoever Heather was. Buffy rubbed at her temples and yawned. She had a feeling things were about to get interesting.  
  


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A/N- Ook. I KNOW that didn't explian much, haha. but I tried! It was too long for one chapter, so the next chapter will be more interesting. As always, please R&R!  
  
Next Chappie- We see faeries! (ok, Willow sees faeries!) 


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